County building officials inspect homes, commercial buildings and other structures throughout the construction process. Most structures are inspected at least five times for the following: Footings, stem wall, framing, plumbing & mechanical and a final inspection. At the conclusion of successful residential inspections, a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) is issued.

There have been several local amendments to the international codes, including a minimum foundation design and a formula to establish the roof snow load based on the elevation of a building site. These local amendments are available on La Plata County Code - Buildings and Building Regulations

By state law, counties are not involved in enforcing covenants. The Homeowners' Association must enforce the covenants through civil court. Covenants can be more strict than county and state regulations,but not less strict. Covenants do not take precedence over county and state regulations.

The structural integrity of buildings and the safety of building occupants are paramount concerns of the La Plata County Building Department. For this reason, building codes have been enforced since 1973.

Building permits are required for all new structures, additions and newly-placed mobile homes on unincorporated (non-city, township or tribal) county land. Before a building permit is issued, property owners must perform soil testing and demonstrate authorization for sewage disposal and domestic water supply.